James Barr
@jamesbarr.bsky.social
I write history. Last book: LORDS OF THE DESERT; before that: A LINE IN THE SAND. Next book: THE ARENA.
More at/contact me via https://www.historythatmatters.org
Signal - jamesbarr.62
Currently reading Jason Burke's The Revolutionists
More at/contact me via https://www.historythatmatters.org
Signal - jamesbarr.62
Currently reading Jason Burke's The Revolutionists
Pinned
James Barr — The British and French Mandates
YouTube video by The Engelsberg Seminars
m.youtube.com
“This is one of the most infamous maps of the Middle East that you will ever see”
Reposted by James Barr
Russia presented its human-like AI robot. It fell down as it walked onto the stage.
November 11, 2025 at 6:19 PM
Russia presented its human-like AI robot. It fell down as it walked onto the stage.
Reposted by James Barr
For anyone in Oxford, I am speaking to the Strategy, Statecraft, and Technology (Changing Character of War) Centre (SST-CCW) at All Soul's today at 1.30pm, on the topic of how we can best make sense of US foreign & defence policy.
www.ccw.ox.ac.uk/events/2025/...
www.ccw.ox.ac.uk/events/2025/...
Reflections on American foreign and defence policy by Shashank Joshi — The Changing Character of War Centre
Tuesday 11 November, 13.30 Old Library, All Souls
www.ccw.ox.ac.uk
November 11, 2025 at 10:11 AM
For anyone in Oxford, I am speaking to the Strategy, Statecraft, and Technology (Changing Character of War) Centre (SST-CCW) at All Soul's today at 1.30pm, on the topic of how we can best make sense of US foreign & defence policy.
www.ccw.ox.ac.uk/events/2025/...
www.ccw.ox.ac.uk/events/2025/...
Reposted by James Barr
English Catholics in 1678:
November 10, 2025 at 10:52 PM
English Catholics in 1678:
Reposted by James Barr
Beyond Meat third-quarter loss widens as costs mount, demand slumps reut.rs/4qJISz4
Beyond Meat third-quarter loss widens as costs mount, demand slumps
Beyond Meat posted a bigger loss for the third quarter on Monday, as the plant-based meat maker grappled with persistent sluggish demand for its products and mounting costs.
reut.rs
November 10, 2025 at 10:40 PM
Beyond Meat third-quarter loss widens as costs mount, demand slumps reut.rs/4qJISz4
Reposted by James Barr
Important to be clear here that the proposed homes wouldn't mean demolishing the 18th century garden - it's just that they might possibly be visible from it. What appallingly selfish behaviour.
November 10, 2025 at 10:10 PM
Important to be clear here that the proposed homes wouldn't mean demolishing the 18th century garden - it's just that they might possibly be visible from it. What appallingly selfish behaviour.
Reposted by James Barr
It’s easy to see why Trump wants to destroy the world’s number one news source. We can’t let him.
The BBC belongs to all of us here in the UK.
The Prime Minister and leaders from across the political spectrum should be united in telling Trump to keep his hands off it.
The BBC belongs to all of us here in the UK.
The Prime Minister and leaders from across the political spectrum should be united in telling Trump to keep his hands off it.
November 9, 2025 at 9:45 PM
It’s easy to see why Trump wants to destroy the world’s number one news source. We can’t let him.
The BBC belongs to all of us here in the UK.
The Prime Minister and leaders from across the political spectrum should be united in telling Trump to keep his hands off it.
The BBC belongs to all of us here in the UK.
The Prime Minister and leaders from across the political spectrum should be united in telling Trump to keep his hands off it.
You want to know more about Robbie Gibb, you say. May I recommend this.
November 9, 2025 at 9:32 PM
You want to know more about Robbie Gibb, you say. May I recommend this.
Just so hard to understand how we evolved from plants
November 9, 2025 at 9:01 PM
Just so hard to understand how we evolved from plants
Reposted by James Barr
More than any time since the 1980s, perhaps ever, the BBC needs a journalistic warrior to lead it. Someone who can see the shape of a fight coming and work out how to win it and have the will to do so. Davie was never that guy. It can't be a hack from the queue. Maybe it should be a refugee from CBS
November 9, 2025 at 8:41 PM
More than any time since the 1980s, perhaps ever, the BBC needs a journalistic warrior to lead it. Someone who can see the shape of a fight coming and work out how to win it and have the will to do so. Davie was never that guy. It can't be a hack from the queue. Maybe it should be a refugee from CBS
Reposted by James Barr
Glad that someone has finally taken responsibility for the appalling assault on democracy that was the Jan. 6 insurrection.
Slightly confused that it's the Director-General of the BBC, but what do I know?
Slightly confused that it's the Director-General of the BBC, but what do I know?
November 9, 2025 at 6:55 PM
Glad that someone has finally taken responsibility for the appalling assault on democracy that was the Jan. 6 insurrection.
Slightly confused that it's the Director-General of the BBC, but what do I know?
Slightly confused that it's the Director-General of the BBC, but what do I know?
Reposted by James Barr
This might be the first spy who appears to be literally wearing one of those 'spy disguises' you could pick up in a joke shop in Newquay in 1993.
Russian activist held in Poland admits he worked as FSB agent, court papers say
Igor Rogov, who left Russia in 2021, due to go on trial accused of informing on other Russian opposition activists
www.theguardian.com
November 9, 2025 at 6:34 PM
This might be the first spy who appears to be literally wearing one of those 'spy disguises' you could pick up in a joke shop in Newquay in 1993.
Reposted by James Barr
Turkish politics experts: on holiday W of Antalya I saw a few villages with newish (<10 year old) mosques some of which appeared unused. And some school buildings that were also seemingly recently-built but not in use. Make-work schemes? A political promise? A requirement? Can anyone enlighten me?
November 9, 2025 at 8:40 AM
Turkish politics experts: on holiday W of Antalya I saw a few villages with newish (<10 year old) mosques some of which appeared unused. And some school buildings that were also seemingly recently-built but not in use. Make-work schemes? A political promise? A requirement? Can anyone enlighten me?
Turkish politics experts: on holiday W of Antalya I saw a few villages with newish (<10 year old) mosques some of which appeared unused. And some school buildings that were also seemingly recently-built but not in use. Make-work schemes? A political promise? A requirement? Can anyone enlighten me?
November 9, 2025 at 8:40 AM
Turkish politics experts: on holiday W of Antalya I saw a few villages with newish (<10 year old) mosques some of which appeared unused. And some school buildings that were also seemingly recently-built but not in use. Make-work schemes? A political promise? A requirement? Can anyone enlighten me?
Reposted by James Barr
If you are planning to visit Gallipoli/Dardanelles here is the official guidebook of the Directorate of Gallipoli Historical Site
Enjoy
canakkaletarihialan.gov.tr/data/uploads...
Enjoy
canakkaletarihialan.gov.tr/data/uploads...
November 9, 2025 at 8:33 AM
If you are planning to visit Gallipoli/Dardanelles here is the official guidebook of the Directorate of Gallipoli Historical Site
Enjoy
canakkaletarihialan.gov.tr/data/uploads...
Enjoy
canakkaletarihialan.gov.tr/data/uploads...
Reposted by James Barr
Old horsehair fishing nets from Brittany, once used to catch monkfish, are now shielding Ukraine’s frontlines from Russian drones. 280km of repurposed netting, sent by Kernic Solidarités, is being stretched across trenches and roads, forming traps that snare drones like flies in a web.
November 8, 2025 at 5:47 PM
Old horsehair fishing nets from Brittany, once used to catch monkfish, are now shielding Ukraine’s frontlines from Russian drones. 280km of repurposed netting, sent by Kernic Solidarités, is being stretched across trenches and roads, forming traps that snare drones like flies in a web.
Reposted by James Barr
@bmj.com, a renowned health journal, slams car bloat:
"Cars are becoming steadily larger, [and] with this comes potential harms to health...Action is needed locally, nationally, and internationally to curb sales of new SUVs and to reduce their presence in urban areas."
www.bmj.com/content/391/...
"Cars are becoming steadily larger, [and] with this comes potential harms to health...Action is needed locally, nationally, and internationally to curb sales of new SUVs and to reduce their presence in urban areas."
www.bmj.com/content/391/...
November 8, 2025 at 1:09 PM
@bmj.com, a renowned health journal, slams car bloat:
"Cars are becoming steadily larger, [and] with this comes potential harms to health...Action is needed locally, nationally, and internationally to curb sales of new SUVs and to reduce their presence in urban areas."
www.bmj.com/content/391/...
"Cars are becoming steadily larger, [and] with this comes potential harms to health...Action is needed locally, nationally, and internationally to curb sales of new SUVs and to reduce their presence in urban areas."
www.bmj.com/content/391/...
Reposted by James Barr
Sam is too modest to say but the Chancellor reads his substack - we were at a reception with her and she was quoting bits back to him from the most recent one
November 8, 2025 at 4:17 PM
Sam is too modest to say but the Chancellor reads his substack - we were at a reception with her and she was quoting bits back to him from the most recent one
Reposted by James Barr
Reposted by James Barr
Cracking (and alarming) story by my colleague Thomas Helm on how a British embassy employee owns property in an illegal West Bank settlement built by an organisation sanctioned by the UK government
www.thenationalnews.com/news/mena/20...
www.thenationalnews.com/news/mena/20...
Revealed: UK embassy worker in Tel Aviv owns property in settlement built by movement sanctioned by Britain | The National
Government described Amana organisation as ‘funding Israeli settlers involved in perpetrating acts of violence against Palestinian communities’
www.thenationalnews.com
November 8, 2025 at 1:49 PM
Cracking (and alarming) story by my colleague Thomas Helm on how a British embassy employee owns property in an illegal West Bank settlement built by an organisation sanctioned by the UK government
www.thenationalnews.com/news/mena/20...
www.thenationalnews.com/news/mena/20...
Good to see a secretary of state dealing with our local graffiti problem today.
November 7, 2025 at 6:46 PM
Good to see a secretary of state dealing with our local graffiti problem today.
Looking for recommendations for good books on the suffragettes…
November 7, 2025 at 2:37 PM
Looking for recommendations for good books on the suffragettes…
This
Imagine if you met someone irl who kept talking like people do on here, throwing under the bus, kept the receipts, lives rent-free etc, you'd quite rightly punch them in the face
November 7, 2025 at 2:31 PM
This